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A new electric wheelchair is able to go down stairs

The Scewo prototype is currently seeking crowdfunding.

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A new type of electric wheelchair that is able to go over uneven terrain and even down stairs is seeking crowdfunding online.

The Scewo wheelchair – a prototype for now – contains self-balancing technology that enables it to rotate on the spot and drive over curbs and uneven surfaces without getting stuck.

Scewo wheelchair
(Scewo)

To do this, it has large, grippy tyres, as well as a separate set of tracks that enable it to travel up and down stairs.

The user can take control of a joystick or use their bodyweight to manoeuvre the chair.

The chair has been developed by a group of students from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

Scewo wheelchair
(Scewo)

The team says their goal is to create mobility for the 21st century, pointing out that while other technology including smartphones, drones and even vacuum cleaners have been technologically advanced, electric wheelchairs have not.

The team is crowdfunding for their project on Patreon.

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